Free domain tool

DNS check for your domain

Run a free DNS check to see which records your domain publishes: where the website points, which servers receive email, which name servers are in charge and which certificate authorities may issue SSL certificates. Enter a domain and the records appear in seconds.

Free, no account needed

What does a DNS check show?

A DNS check reads the public DNS records of a domain. This tool looks up the A, AAAA, MX, NS, TXT and CAA records and tells you whether the domain points to a website, whether it can receive email and whether a CAA record limits who may issue certificates. You see the records as the DNS answers them right now.

What the DNS check looks up

DNS translates a domain name into the technical addresses computers use. Each type of record has its own job. The tool queries the domain exactly as you type it, so yourbusiness.com and www.yourbusiness.com can give different answers.
  • A and AAAA: the IPv4 and IPv6 address of the web server
  • MX: the mail servers that receive email for the domain, each with a priority
  • NS: the name servers that publish the records of the domain
  • TXT: free text, used for SPF and to prove to other services that you own the domain
  • CAA: the certificate authorities that may issue SSL certificates for the domain

How to read the result

Green means the record type is there, red means it is missing. Without A and AAAA records the domain itself does not lead to a website. Check www as well, because some sites only run there. For MX records a lower number means a higher priority: the mail standard (RFC 5321) says lower values are preferred. Without MX records the tool marks email as not working. The standard does let a sender fall back to the address of the domain itself, but that only helps if a mail server runs there, which is rarely the case. A missing CAA record is shown in orange. It is optional: without one, any certificate authority may issue a certificate for the domain (RFC 8659). With a CAA record you limit that to the authorities you actually use.

Common mistakes

Most DNS problems happen during a move to another provider.
  • Changing the name servers while the records are still only set at the old provider, so the website or email disappears
  • Removing the MX records when moving the website, which stops all incoming email
  • Pointing www somewhere else than the domain itself without meaning to
  • Adding a CAA record that leaves out the certificate authority your host uses, so the SSL certificate can no longer be renewed
  • Expecting a change to show everywhere at once: other servers keep the previous answer for a while

What to do next

If the website or email records are missing, add them at the party that runs your name servers (listed under NS). Only that party can change the records. At SitePack DNS management is free. For a domain on SitePack's name servers, SitePack sets up the records your website and email need, including SPF and DKIM, and issues and renews the SSL certificate. You only add a record yourself when another service asks for one. A change is applied right away, but it can take a few hours before it is visible everywhere.

How to use the DNS check

  1. Enter the domain

    Type the domain, for example yourbusiness.com. Check www.yourbusiness.com separately if your site runs on www.

  2. Run the check

    Click the button. The tool asks the DNS for the A, AAAA, MX, NS, TXT and CAA records.

  3. Read the cards

    The first cards say whether the domain points to a website and can receive email. The table below lists every record found.

  4. Fix it in the right place

    Change records at the provider whose name servers are listed under NS, or move the domain to SitePack and let us manage the DNS.

Questions about the DNS check

Is this DNS check free?
Yes, free and without an account. If you run many checks in a short time, the tool may ask you to wait a moment.
I changed a record, but the check still shows the old value. Why?
DNS servers keep an answer for a while before they ask again. A few hours is normal. Run the check again later.
Why does my domain have no A record?
Some sites only run on www, or the domain is registered but not linked to a website yet. Check www separately. If both are empty, ask your host for the right address.
Do I need a CAA record?
No, it is optional. Without one, any certificate authority may issue certificates for your domain. A CAA record limits that. Make sure it lists the authority your host uses, or the certificate cannot be renewed.
Who can change my DNS records?
Only the party whose name servers are listed under NS, usually your registrar or your host. At SitePack you can add or change records yourself, for free.
Does the DNS check also test SPF and DMARC?
It shows the TXT records, where SPF lives, but does not judge them. Use the SPF and DMARC check for that.

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